NAPABA SUPPORTS GOVERNOR BREWER'S VETO OF HATEFUL ANTI-LGBT BILL
Remains Vigilant As Similar Bills Are Proposed In Other States

WASHINGTON — Last night, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
vetoed SB 1062, legislation that would have enabled businesses to
disregard municipal ordinances under the banner of religious freedom,
and allowed them to discriminate against individuals who identify as
LGBT.

"Governor Brewer's decision to veto SB 1062 is a
victory for everyone who opposes discrimination and supports the civil
rights of all Americans, including those of our LGBT brothers and
sisters, but it is disheartening that hateful legislation like this ever
reached her desk," said William J. Simonitsch, president of the
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). "Religious
claims have been asserted in the past to justify slavery, segregation,
and bans on interracial marriage. On Tuesday, we sent the Governor and
other Arizona leaders a letter outlining our opposition to this latest
religious justification for discrimination. We let them know that if the
Governor allowed SB 1062 to become law, NAPABA would consider
relocating its Annual Convention in November out of Phoenix/Scottsdale."

Were it not for Governor Brewer's veto Wednesday
evening, Arizona would have been the first state to enact legislation
enabling corporations and individuals to deny services simply by
asserting that they were acting because of a "sincerely held religious
belief." Supporters of the bill did not hide the fact that this bill
targeted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. SB 1062 would
have undercut the non-discrimination ordinances that include sexual
orientation passed by several Arizona municipalities. Other states that
are considering or have recently considered similar legislation include
Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, and
Idaho.

"We won this round, but we must remain vigilant in
Arizona and elsewhere because many states have contemplated or are
contemplating bills similar in nature to SB 1062, and may do so again in
the future," said Arizona attorney George C. Chen, president-elect of
NAPABA. "Religious freedom is important, but discrimination under the
guise of religious freedom is not acceptable anywhere in our nation. At
the same time, we need to support the work of many cities in Arizona
(including Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff) that have passed
non-discrimination ordinances regarding sexual orientation. Individuals,
corporations, professional organizations, and many others in these
communities strongly opposed SB 1062, and it was in large part due to
their efforts that pressure was brought to bear on Governor Brewer."

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The National Asian Pacific
American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian
Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students.
NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 67
national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its
members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate
counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at
all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing
civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities.
Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA
provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state
judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to
eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the
professional development of people of color in the legal profession.